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Linville Gorge 22 mile loop

I am planning on hiking the 22 mile loop of Linville Gorge in March. March 11,12,13 to be exact. I'm from Ohio and there are not a ton of places with nice views, so I wanted to go someplace that would change all that. Linville Gorge has gotten great reviews from others who have hiked it, but it also looks VERY challenging. My main concern isn't with the up and downs ( Although that looks tough), but moreso with getting lost on the trail ( errr off the trail?).

I won't be taking a GPS with me as I don't own one. I will have a topo map and a compass, but other trip reports Ive read lead me to believe getting lost on this trail is inevitable. I'm not necesarilly in a rush, I have the whole week through the 17 off work, but I would prefer not to be lost in the bush for 3 days.

That said if anyone has any tips, advice, DETAILED TRAIL REPORTS, I would really appreciate it! Also if anyone is free you are ALL welcome to join!

Probably the most comprehesive trail maps, GPSr tracks and waypoints todate can be found on the Gorge Rat Home page ... www.linvillegorge.net

We'd be more than happy to help you out there. One thing you need to remember it's a wilderness area and you are allowed to camp two nights and three days ... then you need to be out of the wilderness for a night. That's more than easy to do though. The loop you are looking at doing ... that's not the Backpacker's Magazine published loop is it? If it is ... their description and instructions are pretty hinky and can get you in a bit of trouble if you're not careful.

We have a master map you can print off and use ... even if you don't use a GPSr ... and it's free for the download. We have a full scale map you can take to some place like Kinkos and have printed or the same set of maps in a PDF form that can be printed in a booklet to take with you.

Three days to do 22 miles might be a bit more than you want to chew on ... especially if this is your first trip. Gorge Miles are completely different from AT miles ... as a comparison. Besides there's a lot of things to see pretty much along any trail or series of trails you may take. Most trails are maintained by voluteers but it is a wilderness area and you can fully expect blow downs and scrambles ... and very very few signs other than at the trail heads.

Note: Camping near trail heads ... must be a minimum of 200 feet from the trail head.

WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.

"A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin

Hawk-eye and the other elder statesmen of the Gorge do have the best information at www.linvillegorge.net .

The Gorge Rat "is that the best you got loop" has a wide ford to deal with (80 yards - someone please correct / verify). That might be a bit nippy in mid March. I completed the loop on an overnighter with someone who had done it before; the trail is not clearly marked and DO NOT use NatGeo map of the Gorge.

The 22 mile loop I was looking at doing was the one from backpacker magazine, but your saying I'm not allowed to camp 3 consecutive nights? Not really sure how I'm going to tackle this. I'll head over to the linked website and do some research!

The 22 mile loop I was looking at doing was the one from backpacker magazine, but your saying I'm not allowed to camp 3 consecutive nights? Not really sure how I'm going to tackle this. I'll head over to the linked website and do some research!

I'm also saying the description in Backpacker will get you in trouble especially if you're not too familiar with the Gorge.

WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.

"A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin

"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11

Its looking like I might just start with the RockJock trail, I was reading that it has some of the nicest views, but is relatively short at under 3 miles. Is the only way to hike the Rock Jock Trail to hike out and straight back? Or is there some kind of loop? As of now I'm only looking to do a day hike, so I would have from sunrise till sunset.